Category Archives: Local News
Project School Pantry aims to feed kids, families
EASLEY — A nonprofit is seeking additional sponsors to help feed children and families in the area.
Flipped Out Investments owner Brandy Hancock spoke with the Courier on Friday. She is one of Project School Pantry’s board members.
The project grew out of a food pantry outside the Flipped Out Investments office in Easley.
“The idea kind of formed back in November of 2025,” through herself,
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Daniel student earns prestigous awards at Phoenix science fair
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Arjun Vir Jain, a student at D.W. Daniel High School in Clemson, South Carolina, earned two awards at the Regeneron International Science and 
Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026, held May 11–15 in Phoenix, Ariz.
ISEF is the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition, bringing together approximately 1,700 finalists from over 70 countries, regions, and territories.
Arjun’s project, “Sentinel AI: An LLM-Driven Framework for Real-Time Automated Outbreak Detection Using Doctor-Patient Conversations,” received a Category Award — Fourth Place in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics and the Non-Trivial Fellowship Scholarship, which provides a place in Non-Trivial’s selective summer research fellowship along with a project grant to support future research. Non-Trivial is a non-profit research You must be logged in to view this content.
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SWU’s Eller earns SCICU Excellence in Teaching award
CENTRAL —Southern Wesleyan University Associate Professor of Biology and coordinator for the university’s pre-dental, pre-med, pre-nursing, and pre-pharmacy 
programs, Dr. Michele Eller, has been recognized as the recipient of the 2026 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Excellence in Teaching Award.
Dr. Eller, a Southern Wesleyan alumna, earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from SWU before completing her Ph.D. in genetics at Clemson University. She returned to her alma mater as a full-time faculty member in 2017 and has since become a highly respected educator, mentor, and advocate for student research and academic excellence.
An expert in cell biology, genomics, and science pedagogies, Dr. Eller teaches a wide
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Inaugural class signs to join Clemson-TCTC dual enrollment program
UPSTATE — Tri-County Technical College hosted a signing event on May 13 for the inaugural cohort of the TCTC Dual Enrollment Academy-Clemson Connect, a first-of-
its-kind program that provides qualified high school students a guaranteed path to earn their Clemson degree. Thirty-five students from area high schools signed their intent to participate in the academy following successful
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Courier Community Calendar 5-27-26
• Children’s garden plots still available
All but two of the children’s garden plots at Bryson Children’s Nature Walk in Six Mile have been filled for the summer vegetable gardening season. The site contains 24 plots, 12 in-ground and 12 above-ground, with two of the above-ground handicap accessible.
There is water at the site, and the plots are free and ready for planting by children for the summer vegetable gardening season in conjunction with their parents. The site is intended for children to experience gardening on the small plots to gain an understanding of the source of their food and an awareness of the benefits of healthy eating. Signups for the plots are available on the town of Six Mile website under the Bryson section.
• Food pantry hours announced at PPC
The Food Pantry at Pickens Presbyterian Church is open Mondays and Wednesdays
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Guardian ad Litem Volunteer training set to begin June 22
UPSTATE — The Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program is seeking 
compassionate community members to serve as volunteer advocates for children who have experienced abuse or
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Proposed Easley budget has no millage increase
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The proposed city of Easley 2026-27 operating budget does not contain a millage increase.
Easley City Council held a public hearing on the budget during its May 11 meeting. First reading of the budget was on the agenda for its May 11 work session.
Finance director Ralph Herden presented the budget during the
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Sheriff to council: PCSO needs more deputies
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — Staffing numbers and employee pay are among Pickens County Sheriff 
Tommy Blankenship’s concerns as the 2026-27 budget is developed.
Pickens County Council members heard from Blankenship during their May 18 work session.
Blankenship said he wanted to address “two significant issues.”
“The first is a continued understaffing at the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and our detention facility,” he said. “Secondly is ensuring our current employees are placed
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Pickens woman charged with check forgery
PICKENS — A Pickens woman was arrested on May 7 on multiple counts of forgery 
following an investigation into alleged embezzlement involving a local pet grooming business, according to the Pickens Police Department.
Melisa Neal, 54, was taken into custody by Pickens police after
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Memorial Day services set for Saturday
SIX MILE — The Town of Six Mile, together with veterans’ organizations across Pickens County and the Pickens County Fire Service, will hold traditional Memorial Day services on Saturday, May 30, 2026, to honor those who gave their lives in service to the United States and to recognize all who have served.
The day will begin at 8 a.m. outside Six Mile Town Hall, where the American flag will be placed at half‑staff. The town’s traditional Memorial Day ceremony will follow at 11:35 a.m., featuring the Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation, and remarks honoring fallen
